2023 Evening of Excellence RECOGNIZES UWRF

Distinguished Alum Award

Margaret Keating

For more than three decades, Margaret Keating, ’75, business and economics, built a remarkable record of achievement at Hallmark. She started in 1979 as a process controller. She held various positions of increasing responsibility in operations, including scheduling manager, manager of graphic arts, graphic arts human resources director and director of graphic arts. In April 1994, she was promoted to the vice president of the Graphic Arts Department and named a corporate officer by the Board of Directors.

Keating, originally from New Richmond, retired from Hallmark in 2010 as the group vice president of operations. She was responsible for all United States and Canadian manufacturing, distribution, transportation, graphic arts and global procurement for the entire Hallmark family of companies with buying offices in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Shanghai.

Keating was an adjunct professor within the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) where she taught supply chain curriculum. Previous board memberships include the University of Missouri - Kansas City Bloch Advisory Council, United Way of Greater Kansas City Women’s Leadership Council, Girl Scouts of Mid-Continent, and the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business, the Master of Supply Chain Management Corporate Advisory Council and the UW-River Falls Foundation Board of Directors.

Keating serves on the board of Outreach International, a global nonprofit that supports local leaders and community-led groups who develop lasting solutions to poverty-related issues.

She and her husband live in Raymore, Miss. Keating enjoys spending time with her two children and five grandchildren.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Chaplain Rich Stoglin

Chaplain Richmond E. Stoglin, ‘79, Arlington, Texas, has a career of exceptional service to his country and his community.

Stoglin served his country in the United States Navy Reserve Chaplain Corps from 1985 to 2013. During his service career, he attained the rank of commander and former regimental chaplain to the 14th Marines, the largest artillery command in the U.S. Marine Corps. He also served as command chaplain of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and the Combined Security Training Command-Afghanistan.

Stoglin served for more than 22 years for the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. His last position within the Department of Justice was as department head of religious services.

After retiring, Stoglin started his own consulting group, The Stoglin Group. The firm specializes in consulting organizations, corporations and nonprofits through mediation, family mediation, workplace ethics, strategic planning, leadership development, public policy and law enforcement counseling.

A decorated veteran, Stoglin’s accolades include a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal and two National Defense service medals. He’s been a recipient of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce MVP award and was named the University of TexasArlington’s Outstanding African American Alumnus. He graduated from the Naval War College in June 2012.

Stoglin was the first African American to be ordained in the Minnesota United Methodist Conference in 1981. In January, he became the first African American ordained to the priesthood in the Fort Worth Anglican Diocese of the American Church of North America (ACNA).

Stoglin enjoys walking, reading, public speaking and volunteering for multiple charitable causes. He is also a published author. He lives in Arlington with his wife, Reecia.

Outstanding Young Alum

Ali Kofiro

Ali Kofiro is the first Somali student accepted in the UWRF school of counseling program. After earning his master’s degree from UWRF in 2010, he went on to become the first Somali licensed school counselor in the region and possibly the nation.

Recognizing a need and opportunity to have more diversity in counseling, Kofiro became a tireless advocate, encouraging members of the Somali community to explore counseling as a career. As a result of Kofiro’s efforts, there are now 16 licensed Somali school counselors in Minnesota. Several moving on to become principals.

Kofiro has often returned to UWRF to teach classes and is a leading member of the counseling program’s stakeholders group.

Kofiro has been a school counselor at Wellstone International High School in Minneapolis since 2011. He is also the founder and president of Disability Benefit Solutions. A firm specializing in representing people with disabilities who need to apply for social security benefits. He has helped thousands of disability claims across the nation.

In 2015, Kofiro was recognized as UWRF College of Education and Professional Studies Distinguished Alum.

Outstanding Service Award

Charles and Ruth Anne White

Charles and Ruth Anne White are longtime community supporters of UW-River Falls people, programs and projects.

While attending UWRF for one year, Chuck starred on the debate team. He then transferred to UW-Madison, received his bachelor’s degree in 1949 and earned his law degree in 1951. He then served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps in Korea, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Korean Service, the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.

Following his service, Chuck returned to his hometown of River Falls and practiced law for 42 years in the community and taught business law at UWRF.

Ruth Anne grew up in Viroqua and earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from UW-Madison. She had a long career at Niro Atomizer in Hudson which produced evaporation equipment for food, dairy and chemical products.

The Whites have been longtime generous supporters of UWRF, establishing multiple scholarship funds and providing support for major university projects such as the renovation of David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field, the Falcon Center and the Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech).